Baggage fastener



Nmv. 7, 1933- R. TOTTY 1,934,195

BAGGAGE FASTENER Filed June 28. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 7, 1933. R. A TOTTY' 1,934,105

BAGGAGE FASTENER 1 Filed June 28. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 7, 1933 V BAGGAGEFASTENER Robert Alley Totty, Petersburg,- Va., assignor to American Hardware Company, Petersburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia Application'June 28, 1932. Serial No. 619,768

7 Claims. (01. 292-128) This invention relates to baggage and it is an object of the invention to provide means for effectively holding said baggage in closed assembly and wherein said means upon release operates '5 automatically to effect an initial opening of the baggage. 7

It is also an object of the invention to provide an article of baggage comprising a body member or case provided with a rabbet which has telescopic relation with a closure member when in closed position, the back flange of the rabbet having substantially coplanar therewith members for operative engagement with the closure member when closed for holding said closure member in closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of baggage comprising a body member or case having an associated closure member together with means substantially in concealment for holding the closure member in closed position with respect to the body member or case.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved baggage whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use; as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed. I

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of an article of baggage constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention, a portion being broken away and a second position of the closure member 40 being indicated by brokenlines;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the locking mechanism as herein employed, a face plate being removed;

Figure 4 is a viewin front elevation of the lock device unapplied; v

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view in elevation of one of .the latching mechanisms herein employed with a plate removed;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing certain of the parts in a second position;

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation of a latching mechanism unapplied and with the slide therefor omitted.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, C denotes the case'or body member of an article of baggage having an open face defined by a rabbet 1 affording a back flange 2. Associated with the open face of thecase or body member C in a well known manner is a closure member M, the free marginal portions of the defining side walls 3 of said member M being outwardly beveled from within, as indicated at 4 in Figures 2 and 5.

operating When the closure member M is in closed position the back flange 2 of the rabbet 1 is telescopically received within the member M at the beveled portion 4 thereof with the free edges of the walls 3 of the closure member M adapted for contact with the base of the rabbet 1.

One of the walls 3 of the closure member M, and preferably'the wall opposed to the wall hingedly. connected as is well known to the body member associated wall 3. This arm '7 constitutesa locking bar or keeper for coaction with a rocking lock bolt 8 comprised in the lock mechanism. The lock mechanism as herein disclosed comprises a housing 9 of desired dimensions and configuration and which is defined by an outstanding flange 10. Side portions of the flange 10 are proor case C, has riveted or otherwise anchored to vided with the outstanding wings 11' with which coact outstanding wings 12 carried by the side portions of a closure plate 14 which is disposed over the housing 9 in contact with the free marginal edges of the flange 10. The cover plate 14 is held to the housing 9 by holding bolts or the like directed through the overlying wings 11 and 12.

The rocking lock bolt 8 is pivotally supported upon a pin 15 engaged with and bridging the space between the applied plate 14 and opposed wall of the housing 9. The bolt 8 has an enlarged tail portion 16 having a central portion 17 in which is adapted to be engaged in a well known manner a key inserted through the barrel 18 rotatably carried by theplate 14. Coactingwith the tail portion 16 of the bolt 8 and the flange 10 of the housing 9 is a spring 19 which operates to maintain the bolt 8 in either its locked or released position as shifted under the action of the key.

The assembled lock mechanism is applied from within in a suitably recessed portion provided in the rear face of the wall of the case or body member 0 with the upper portion of the asseme bled mechanism extending within a cutout portion 21 in the back flange 2 whereby the upper portion of the applied housing is substantially coplanar with said back flange. The upper portion of the plate 14 is returned, as at 22, and the inner or lower free margin of the returned I QItion 22 is continued by an outstanding flange or strip 23 which has contact with the base of the. rabbet 1 thereby serving as a guard or'wear plate.

The central part of the upper portion of the housing 9 and the applied plate 14 is recessed or cut away, as at 24, for the admission of thekeeper or bar 7 when the closure member M is in closed position. With the closure member M fully closed the keeper or bar 7 will enter the recess or notch 24 a distance sufficient to readily allow the lateral extension v8' of the lock bolt 3 to engage thereover whereby the closurernember M is eifeCtively locked in closed position.

It is to be noted that the bolt 8 has rocking.

keepers 7 similar to the keeper or bar 7. Each of these latch mechanis; .s comprises a housing 9 and a cover plate 14' constructed and assembled after the same fashion as the housing 9 and plate 14 as hereinbefore, referred in and applied to the wall of the case or body member C in substantially the same manner. fers to the extent of having disposed lengthwise thereof at substantially its transverse center an elongated pocket or channel 25 preferably pressed therefrom although, of course, such pocket or channel maybe otherwise formed.

Pivotally mounted, as at26, within the housing 9' and adjacent its lower or inner end is an end portionof a rocking latch bar 27 provided at its opposite end portion with a lateral extension arm 28 to engage over the keeper or holding bar 7' after said bar or keeperhas been properly received within the entrance notch orrecess 24'.

. Thepivoted extremity 'of the latch bar 27 is provided with a lateral extension or tail piece 29 havinga portion pressed out or extended, as at 30,

to extend within. the adjacent portion of the pocket or channel 25. This part 30 is provided with a finger 31 disposed toward the outer or upper end of the housing 9 and provides a seat the upper. or outer end portion of the housing and the plate is retained in desired position as herein disclosed by a pin 35 engaged with and intersecting the space between the applied plate 14' and the opposed wall of the housing 9. This pin 35 is also directed through an elongated slot 36 in the plate 34, said slot having one end open although this is not essential.

The housing 9, however, dif-.

The spring 32 interposed between the extension arm or tail piece 29 and the part 33 of the plate 34 serves to constantly urge the latch bolt 27, or more particularly the arm or bill 28 thereof, toward the entrance opening 24 atthe same time constantly urging the plate 34 upwardly or outwardly toward the limit of its movement as afforded by contact with the flange 11. When the bolt '27 is swung laterally into release or inoperativeposition the plate 34 will immediately assume a position at the limit of its outward or upward movement and in a position intersecting. the'path of travel of the arm or bill 28 so that the bolt 27 will be effectively held against movement toward locking or working position until after the plate 3 1 has been forced downwardly a suflicient distance as by contact of the bar or keeper. 7 asit enters the entrance recess or notch 24. Just as soon as the plate 34 has been moved'inwardly of the housing the required distance the spring 32 will cause the arm orbill 28 to swing into desired holding or latching engagement with the bar or keeper 7.

As the plate 34 moves inwardly of its housing the spring 32 :is of course placed under increased tension. This is of importance because when the bolt 27 together with its arm or bill 23 is moved into release position the tension of the spring 32 will be suflicient to force the plate 34 outwardly of the plate 34 with the bar or keeper 7' to initially open the closure member M.

The'marginal portion of the bolt 27 is provided with a laterally disposed finger 37 which is also directed exteriorly of the housing through a. suit ablypositioned slot 38 provided in the applied plate 14' and of course a suitablypositioned opening 39 in the adjacent wall of the case or body member 0.. The opening or slot 39 in the wall of the case or body member C is closed by an escutcheon plate AOcarrying a slide 41. outer portionof the arm or finger 37. is operatively engaged with this slide 41 mounted upon the plate 40. This slide -11 is arranged exteriorly of the case or body member C and provides means whereby the bolt 27 may be readily throwninto release or inoperative position.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an article of baggage constructed in accordance with my invention is. particularly wellfadapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and. for this reasonI do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to'the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed. I claim:-

1. An'article of baggage comprising two rela tively movable members, one of the members having a' rabbet providing a flange which telescopes the second member when the members are in closed relation, a keeper carried-by and extending inwardly of the second member, and a bolt movable in a path defined by the flange of the rabbet to engage the keeper to hold the members in closed relation.

2. An article of baggage comprising two relatively movable members, a keepercarried by one member, a bolt-carried by the second memberto en age the keeper to hold'the members inclosed The and at the same time as a result of the contact relation, means for moving the bolt into inoperative position, a member moving into a position to hold the bolt in inoperative position, said last named member being in a position to be contacted by the keeper when the first named members are being moved into closed position to move said last named member out of the path of the bolt to allow the bolt to engage the keeper, and means coacting with the bolt and the last named member to automatically move the bolt into a position to engage the keeper when the last named member is moved by the keeper and to return the last named member when the bolt is moved into release position, thesecond movement of said last named member coacting with the keeper, when the first named members are closed, to impart initial separating movement to said first named members.

3. An article of baggage comprising two relatively movable members, a keeper carried by one member, a bolt carried by the second member to engage the keeper to hold the members in closed relation, means for moving the bolt into inoperative position, a member moving into a position to hold the bolt in inoperative position, said last named member being in a position to be contacted by the keeper when the first named members are being moved into closed position to move said last named member out of the path of the bolt to allow the bolt to engage the keeper, and a single spring coacting with the bolt and the last named member for automatically moving the bolt into a position to engage the keeper when the last named member is moved by the keeper and to return the last named member when the bolt is moved into release position.

4. A baggage latch mechanism comprising a housing having an entrance recess in a part thereof, a latch bolt mounted within the housing for movement to intersect the entrance recess or to a position to one side thereof, a plate slidably positioned within the housing, said plate when in one position being disposed across the recess and holding the latch in inoperative position, the

movement of the plate to a second position allow-v ing the latch bolt to move across the recess;

5. A baggage latch mechanism comprising a housing having an entrance recess in a part thereof, a latch bolt mounted within the housing for movement to intersect the entrance recess or to a position to one side thereof, a plate slidablypositioned within the housing, said plate when in one position being disposed across the recess and holdng the latch in inoperative position, the movement of the plate to a second-position allowing the latch bolt to move across the recess, and a means coacting with the latch bolt and the plate to move the plate into a position to extend across r and holding the latch in inoperative position, the

movement of the plate to a second position allowing the latch bolt to move across the recess, and spring operatively engaged with the latch bolt and the plate to move the plate into a position to extend across the recess when the latch bolt is moved into release position and to move the l latchbolt into working position when the plate is moved in the opposite direction.

7. A baggage latch mechanism comprising a housing having an entrance recess in a part thereof, a latch bolt mounted for swinging movement within the housing to intersect the entrance recess or to a position to one side thereof, a plate slidably positioned within the housing, said plate when. in onelposition being disposed across the recess and holding thelatch in inoperative position, the movement of the plate to a second position allowing the latch bolt to move across the recess.

' ROBERT ALLEY TOTTY. 

